Independent study

In the event of a school closure or should a student be at home self-isolating due to coronavirus, the school recommends the students prepare a daily plan of independent study and use the document associated with their year and follow the subject specific guidance. Should the student be studying courses at Wellsway School or SBL Academy then we recommend they visit their website for guidance on how to independently studied those subjects.

School Day

All students have an organiser, which includes a guide to the school’s daily routines and the code of conduct. The times of the school day are as follows:

Monday - Friday

School starts

8.45am

Registration/tutor time

8.45am - 9.05am

Period 1

9.05am - 10.05am

Period 2

10.05am - 11.05am

Break

11.05am - 11.25am

Period 3

11.25am - 12.25pm

Period 4

12.25pm - 1.25pm

Lunch

1.25pm - 2.05pm

Period 5

2.05pm - 3.05pm

School finishes

3.05pm

Breaks and lunchtimes

Only 6th Form students are allowed off site at morning break and lunch. Year 10 and 11 students must stay on site at break time and lunchtime unless parents have signed a consent form allowing the student to go home for lunch. Students with permission must obtain a pass. If you have a pass, you should leave the site the promptly and return for the afternoon session on time. Students should go straight home to their own house and not buy food from local shops.

Equipment

All students are expected to bring a bag to school each day. This should be suitable to carry all the equipment required for your lessons and large enough to take a Laptop, an A4 ringbinder and books. You should always have writing equipment, (pen, pencil, eraser, ruler etc.) with you, we also recommend that students bring a mini-dictionary and a scientific calculator.

Homework

We believe that homework makes an invaluable contribution to students’ progress and should be used to reinforce or extend what is learned in school as well as to support students to develop effective independent learning habits. Students are expected to undertake homework to the best of their ability and we hope that they will feel a sense of personal satisfaction after completing tasks and from these efforts recognised and celebrated. We ask parents and carers to support us in supporting their child’s independent learning by providing a suitable space for completion of tasks and ensuring that homework is completed on time and with maximum effort.

We understand that homework is often an area of anxiety for students starting at secondary school and we try to do everything we can to help them to manage this transition.

How much homework will my child get?

Students should expect to complete one to two homework activities each school day.

What kinds of tasks will my child be set?

We want homework to be a productive use of students’ time and, where possible, for students to enjoy completing these tasks. Students have told us that they prefer variety in the tasks set and to have choice where possible and so a wide range of tasks and projects are set, ranging from interviews and experiments to research and essay writing. Where appropriate, homework will be set according to student need.

How will my child record their homework?

We know that the vast majority of students prefer to use our online platform Insight to manage their learning outside the classroom. We have extremely positive student and parent voice about how helpful Insight is for organising student work and managing deadlines. All homework is set using Insight so students and parents can easily see what has been set and access any necessary resources and we thank our parents for their support in checking deadlines and helping to ensure homework is completed and deadlines met.

For those students who need extra support with organisation or for where access to Insight is more difficult, we provide physical personal homework organisers and extra support in time management and organisation.

How will I know how to support my child with their homework?

We ask parents to check Insight regularly to see what has been set and to have regular conversations with their children about what they are working on. We also provide a homework club after school from Monday to Thursday in the avenue with access to laptops to support tier learning activities.

How do I find out more about Insight?

If you have any problems, please email the helpline enquiries@ikbacademy.org.uk. One of the Year 10 Open Evenings provides prospective parents with the opportunity to find out more about how Insight works.

Uniform

School uniform plays a central role in creating a sense of unity, identity and belonging within our school community. The smart style of our new school uniform reflects the high standards we expect at The IKB Studio School. School uniform is compulsory for all students in years 10 & 11.

This guidance is intended to support parents in ensuring their child is dressed smartly, in keeping with the high expectations of the school. If you have any queries regarding the uniform code, including requests for financial assistance to buy uniform, please contact any member of the senior leadership team.

The School Jumper and Tie, including a PE kit are all only available from Initially Yours, 69 High St., Hanham.

Food

IKB has its own catering facilities available to students at break and dinner time. Facilities provide healthy snacks and light meals. We are committed to providing healthy food and support students entitled to free school meals.

Please contact reception for further details or if you wish to speak to the catering manager regarding food allergies.

Timetable

At IKB we operate a two week timetable which is synchronised with Wellsway Schools timetable. This allows us to offer IKB Students a greater choice of subjects at KS4 and KS in the 6th Form.

Tutoring

The IKB Studio School operates a house system, we have established three houses which are:

Tesla

Shrödinger

Edison

Students will attend a morning registration period between 8.45am and 9.05am, this period is an opportunity for the tutors to relay important information for the day and ensure all students settle and prepare for their learning.

The tutor programme consists of a PSHE/FBV programme in alignment with Wellsway School; this includes a session using the 'vote for schools' application. Students are also exposed to a weekly year group assembly focusing on PSHE topics and are involved in a 'check and read' programme that supports students with vocabulary development and ensuring students are prepared for the day with the correct equipment.

A reward and achievement system is in place at IKB which promotes high expectations and a sense of competition between the houses.